Refrigeration and particularly refrigerated ice storage means with automatic discharge mechanism



E. C. STOVER RTICULARLY March 22, 1966 3,241,333 TORAGE REFRIGERATION AND PA REFRIGERATED ICE S MEANS WITH AUTOMATIC DISCHARGE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. '7 1963 IN VEN TOR EGBERT CORNELL STOVER AT TOR N EYS MalCh 22, 1966 E. c. STOVER REFRIGERATION AND PARTICULARLY REFRIGERATED ICE STORAGE MEANS WITH AUTOMATIC DISCHARGE MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2;

Filed Nov. 7 1963 INVENTOR. EGBERT CORNELL STOVER @ma/gal AT TORN EYS United States Patent O 3,241,333 REFRIGERATIN AND PARTICULARLY REFRIG- ERATED ICE STQRAGE MEANS WITH AUT()- MA'IC DISCHARGE MECHANISM Egbert Cornell Stover, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Flakiee Corporation, Brooklyn, NX., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 322,219 9 Claims. v(Cl. 62-336) This invention Irelates to refrigerated storage and dispensing of ice, and more in particular to an improved arrangement ifor dispensing refrigerated ribbon ice from a storage bunker.

An object of this invention is to provide for the fully automatic dispensing of refrigerated ribbon ice from a storage bunker. A further `object is to provide an improved .arrangement for flowing refrigerated ribbon ice into ya screw conveyor. A `further object is to insure a lclog-free passageway for ice at the discharge from a storage zone. A further object is to provide accurate control upon the discharging of ice from a storage zone. A still further object is to provide for the above with structure which is simple, sturdy, inexpensive, trouble-free, and which is adaptable to various conditions in installation and use. These and other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out below.

United States Patent No. 2,222,024 of `Crosby Field discloses an arrangement for automatic unloading of a large size storage bin or bunker lled with ice, such as, refrigerated ribbon ice. While that arrangement has proven very satisfactory commercially, certain difficulties have been encountered, particularly because of the necessity for manual operations. The present invention involves the utilization of the basic principles of that storaging and unloading arrangement, but overcomes the diicu'lties which have been encountered. Hence, it is a further object of the present invention to overcome the diiculties which have been encountered with the prior similar arrangements.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section of the line 1-1 of FIGURE 2, showing one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 3 is 'a View on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 4, and is similar to FIGURE 1 but shows another embodiment of the invention; and,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, an insulated storage bin 2 has heat-insulated bottom, side and top walls 4, 6 and 8, respectively. Positioned within storage bin 2 is an ice bunker 10 containing a body of ice 11, which is supported above the bottom bin wall 4 by a heat-insulating structure 12. The side walls of bunker 10 are spaced from the respective side wall of the bin so that the entire bunker is surrounded by an envelope of cold air. Hence, the ice is not subjected to the direct conduction of heat through the bin walls, and it is maintained in refrigerated condition by the sub-freezing temperature of the air which surrounds it.

lExtending along the bottom of the end of bunker 12 is a screw -conveyor assembly 14 formed by .a conveyor trough 16 and a screw conveyor 18. The top of trough 16 is covered by a top wall 20 except for a rectangular slot 22. APositioned directly over the central portion of screw conveyor 18 is a bunker extension 24 which is rectangular in horizontal section and which projects vbeyond the end wall 26 of the bun-ker. End wall 26 is provided with a rectangular opening 28 which is co-extensive with the vertical and horizontal extent of the 3,241,333 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 ICC bunker extension 24 so that the ice within the bunker flows freely into the 'bunker extension, directly over the central portion of the conveyor. Positioned above the bunker ,and

-supported by the bin walls is a power-driven ice rake assembly 30 which is operated to rake or drag the ice toward the end wall 26 of the bunker, thus to insure that the ice flows into the bunker extension 24.

Screw 18 is driven clockwise in FIGURE 1 by a motor drive 4(not shown) which is positioned outside the bin. When so driven, ice which falls through slot 22 into trough 26 is moved to the right in FIGURE 2 to and through an ice discharging assembly 32 at the sidewall of the bin.

Swingably supported from the top bin wall '8 and directly above the center of the screw conveyor 18 are two -metal rods 34 and 36. Each of the rods is supported by a small section of link chain 38 so that the rods can move readily and independently of one another. The lower ends of rods 34 and 36 are positioned between two `adjacent spirals of the screw `conveyor 18, and each of the rods has a bumper ring 40 which is adapted to be engaged `by the screw conveyor as the screw conveyor turns. As shown best in FIGURE 1, attached to rod 36 are two chains 42 and 44 which are connected to the rods by eye bolts and nuts 46. Chains 42 and 44 are connected together and their ends Aare attached at48 to the top bin wall 8.

Assuming that rods l34 and 36 .are hanging as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2 and 4chains 42 and 44 are also hanging a-s shown, the rotation of screw conveyor 1=8 engages the bumpers 40 upon the lower ends of the rods and swings the rods toward the broken line portions of FIGURE 2. During this movement, rod `3-4 is moved lagainst rod 36, and the rods swing with some side movement. Also, chains 42 and 44 `are carried by rod 36, land the chains in turn inuence the movement of rod 36. When the rods reach the vicinity of the broken line positions of FIGURE 2, their lower ends are lifted above the upper edge of the screw conveyor 18 `so that the rods Ifall back toward the full line position. Hence, as long as the conveyor is operated, the rods swing back `and forth between the `full-line Iand broken-line positions so as to provide a constant movement which disturbs and agitates the ice above and Within slot 22. This agitating movement prevents the formation of ice bridges or other clogging actions which would interfere with the free-flow of ice into trough 16. The general movement of rods 34 and 36 produces a `somewhat conical zone where the ice is caused to ilow freely at `all times. Chains 42 and 44 also distribute the ice throughout :a zone which may be somewhat conical, or it may vary in shape depending upon the operating conditions. However, the combined action of the rods and the chains is to provide a uninterrupted zone from the top of the body of ice 11 in the bunker down through 'opening 28, and the ice in the bunker extension 24 to the conveyor trough. Hence, efcient means is provided to cause the ice to flow `freely and evenly from the bunker out through the discharge at 32.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4, an ice bunker 50 has an end wall 52 at the lower edge of which there is a screw conveyor assembly 54 identical with assembly 14. A single rod 56 hangs from the top bin wall 58 and is identical with rod 34 of FIGURES 1 and 2. With this arrangement, rod 56 is engaged by the screw conveyor 60 with the result that its lower end moves in the ice discharge slot 62 in the manner of rods 34 and 36 as described above. Rod 56 maintains a zone with a ffree and even flow of the ice from the top of the body of ice down through the slot in the top of the conveyor assembly, thus to insure the free and even discharge of the ice through the conveyor. Except as specifically a pointed out, the construction and operation are as in FIG- URES 1 and 2.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the various features of this invention and as the embodiments herein described may be varied in various parts, al1 without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense and that in certain instances, some of the features of the invention may be used without a corresponding use of other features, all without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In refrigeration apparatus, the combination of, a heat insulated ice storage bin construction, bunker means within said bin construction for storing ilowable ice, said bin construction and said bunker means being so constructed and arranged as to maintain the flowable ice in ilowable condition, a screw conveyor assembly positioned adjacent the bottom of said bunker means and having a spiral conveyor screw and an inlet opening through 'which the ice may iiow thereinto from said bunker means,

and a rod assembly formed by a rod and rod-suspending means attached to the upper end of said rod and supporting said rod when in a rest position and permitting said rod to be moved axially upwardly and to be swung freely from its rest position with said rod being suspended above and hanging freely in said opening and urged by the action of gravity to its rest position wherein its lower end is positioned beneath said inlet opening and between two adjacent spirals on the screw conveyor, said rod being mounted for movement at its lower end longitudinally of the conveyor and upwardly whereby said lower end may move radially beyond the edge of the conveyor screw and swing back toward rest position thereby to disturb the ice which is positioned to flow through said inlet opening.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said rodsuspending means is a link chain attached to the upper end of said rod and directly above said inlet opening whereby the movement imparted to it by the conveyor screw and gravity causes it to move in a zone which is somewhat conical.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 which includes a pair of chains attached at vertically spaced points on said rod and supported at their other ends by support means spaced above the level of the ice in said bunker means and spaced horizontally from the point of support of said rod. l 4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 which includes a second rod supported adjacent the first mentioned rod and of substantially the same length and extending substantially co-extensive therewith.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said bunker means includes a main bunker wherein the level of ice is dependent upon the quantity of ice in storage and a bunker extension into which the ice flows from said main bunker and from which the ice flows through said inlet opening, and wherein said rod is supported above said bunker extension and said pair of chains extend into said main bunker and are supported above the level of the ice therein.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said rod has a bumper ring around its lower end and wherein said rod-suspending means is a link chain.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said conveyor assembly is positioned beneath said bunker means and said rod extends vertically through the body of ice and is supported by the top wall of said bin construction.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 1 which includes an ice rake for moving the ice toward said inlet opening.

9. Apparatus as described in claim 1l wherein the ice is refrigerated ribbon ice and wherein said bunker means is spaced from the surrounding walls of said bin construction and the ice is maintained in subfreezing condition by the surrounding envelope of cold air.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,783,092 11/1930 Lewis 222--231 1,791,752 2/1931 Cross 222-231 2,222,024 ll/l940 Field 222-76 X 2,791,887 5/1957 Hennig 62-344 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN REFRIGERATION APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION OF, A HEAT INSULATED ICE STORAGE BIN CONSTRUCTION, BUNKER MEANS WITHIN SAID BIN CONSTRUCTION FOR STORING FLOWABLE ICE, SAID BIN CONSTRUCTION AND SAID BUNKER MEANS BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED AS TO MAINTAIN THE FLOWABLE ICE IN FLOWABLE CONDITION, A SCREW CONVEYOR ASSEMBLY POSITIONED ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF SAID BUNKER MEANS AND HAVING A SPIRAL CONVEYOR SCREW AND AN INLET OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE ICE MAY FLOW THEREINTO FROM SAID BUNKER MEANS, AND A ROD ASSEMBLY FORMED BY A ROD AND ROD-SUSPENDING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID ROD AND SUPPORTING SAID ROD WHEN IN A REST POSITION AND PERMITTING SAID ROD TO BE MOVED AXIALLY UPWARDLY AND TO BE SWUNG FREELY FROM ITS REST POSITION WITH SAID ROD BEING SUSPENDED ABOVE AND HANGING FREELY IN SAID OPENING AND URGED BY THE ACTION OF GRAVITY OF ITS REST POSITION WHEREIN ITS LOWER END IS POSITIONED BENEATH SAID INLET OPENING AND BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT SPIRALS ON THE SCREW CONVEYOR, SAID ROD BEING MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT AT ITS LOWER END LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CONVEYOR AND UPWARDLY WHEREBY SAID LOWER END MAY MOVE RADIALLY BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE CONVEYOR SCREW AND SWING BACK TOWARD REST POSITION THEREBY TO DISTURB THE ICE WHICH IS POSITIONED TO FLOW THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING. 